This invention relates to a multiple-lamp flash unit and to a camera usable with the same.
More particularly, the invention relates to a multiple-bulb flash unit having a drive which, when actuated, moves the lamps seriatim to firing position, and a camera having an arrangement for actuating the drive.
Multiple-lamp flash units in which the lamps are sequentially moved into firing position, are already known from German Pat. No. 848,012, as well as from German published applications OS Nos. 2,118,418 and 1,522,916. These flash units incorporate a spring motor which is released for stepwise dissipation of its stored energy when an electromagnet is energized upon firing of a bulb, so that the motor moves a fresh bulb into firing position. These prior-art devices perform their intended function, but since they require an electromagnet and associated circuitry they are also rather expensive to manufacture.
A more economical proposal is known from German published application OS No. 1,497,381 where the dissipation of stored spring energy, in a sense causing stepwise advancement of the multiple lamps into firing position, is manually initiated after each flash. In this arrangement the user may, however, forget to cause a new flash lamp to be moved to firing position, with the result that he may find himself in sudden need of a flash but with no flash lamp in position for firing.